Stalling
by ShannonSto
Summary: GS--Improv challenge response. Grissom and Sara bond over a game.


**A/N:** Response to the weekly Improv Challenge at Unbound.

**Spoilers:** None

**Disclaimer:** I still don't own anything.

xoxoxoxoxooxoxoxoxoxoxooxoxoxox

"Just close your eyes," he said.

"Why?'

"Just do it."

"Fine," Sara sighed. Her eyelids dropped in compliance.

"Now open them again."

Sara reopened her eyes and focused on the open book he held. "I still don't see—wait, there it is!"

Grissom was pleased at her discovery, and his grin displayed it. "I knew that would help."

"I've seen a lot of optical illusions, but that one is something else. How'd we get so far off topic anyway? It's still your turn."

"Yes. I just need to study my notes a little," he conceded. He laid the book on the floor and picked up his notes.

They sat on Grissom's sofa, the task at hand spread out on the coffee table in front of them. Sara stood and stretched.

"Do you mind if I get another bottle of water while you formulate your stellar theory?"

"Not at all," Grissom said, looking up briefly from his notes. "Can you get me one, too?"

"Sure."

Sara returned with the drinks, and took her place on the sofa. "How many notes could you possibly have? There are only two of us here."

"This can be quite challenging with only two people."

"Challenging?"

Grissom furrowed his brow. "Yes. When it's only two, you have to employ a lot more strategy to throw the other off the track."

"Hmmm, I guess," Sara shrugged. "Tell me, are you going to be making a move any time soon? Or is stalling part of your strategy?"

Her tone was light and teasing, but he still trod carefully. "Stalling? It's always seemed wise to me to take your time and think things through carefully. A mistake could be very costly."

"Taking _too_ long can be considered indecision, or even not wanting to play any more, which is also...costly...to everyone," she replied softly.

"So I'm learning." An air of sadness, nearly concealed but there nonetheless, hung in his words.

"So, um," Sara's voice cut through an awkward tension, "do you have a guess?"

"Since I'm already in the dining room," he began, "I'm going to have to go with Mrs. White, in the dining room with the rope."

Sara scanned her notes, smirking playfully. "You're forcing me to give up a carefully guarded secret." She flashed a card bearing the likeness of Mrs. White at him. "Happy?"

"Indeed."

A roll of the dice led her to the drawing room of the Boddy Mansion. "All right, I think it was Mr. Green with the lead pipe. In the drawing room. Why can't we just test this thing with luminal, anyway?"

"We can't check Professor Plum for GSR, either," Grissom smiled. "Mr. Green, lead pipe, drawing room...it's an interesting theory, but wrong. Mr. Green is an innocent man." He showed her the card in question.

Grissom rolled a twelve, and opened his notes again. "Let me see where I want to go. I think I'll stay here in the dining room, and bring in Miss Scarlet, because it was here that I believe she committed the crime using the revolver."

Sara stared at him a few moments before answering. "You could be right."

"Okay. Your turn." She continued to study him—damn, that man had a poker face! Did he have one of the cards, or two of them? Maybe he had all three and was trying, as he said himself, to throw her off track. If there was one thing she knew about Gil Grissom, it was that he was very good at keeping her guessing.

"I have a feeling I should be in the study," she remarked as she rolled the dice. "Damn, a three is gonna leave me in the hallway."

With a tilt of his head, he looked over the rim of his glasses. "I have no further need of the dining room. I think I'll move on to..." The dice hit the table. "The hallway, also."

Sara made it into the study on her next roll. She needed to find out what Grissom knew. "Miss Scarlet needs to join me here. She can bring the candlestick," she said as she moved the game pieces.

"I can't help you."

"Reaaalllly?"

"I'm solving, though. I rolled an eight, which will get me to the library, where, I submit, Miss Scarlet killed Mr. Boddy with the rope."

"That may just be the solution," Sara sighed.

"It is." He picked up the casefile envelope and laid the three cards upon the board.

"You're right," she grinned, "it is challenging with just two people."

"You put up a great fight. How about a rematch?"

"I'd love to, but I really have to be going soon...how about Wednesday? We're both off."

"Wednesday sounds good." Grissom licked his lips nervously. Just what were they doing here? "I'll make us dinner...if that's okay. I'd still like to play."

"That's um...okay. I'll be here."

"Okay, I guess that's settled, then."

End


End file.
